I have Numark TTXs running Timecode S4+Innofader. I am learning the crab scratch and have spent beaucoup time learning the 4 finger tap on the fader (I have even been carrying a spare xfader round in my pocket for some clandestine clicking practice during dull business meetings - don’t ask).
My issue is that Traktor frequently treats multiple individual taps as a single tap meaning I am just not getting the sound I need.
Soooooooooooooo, is it:
Traktor Latency - not convinced on this on as my system is pretty rapid and my overall latency is 5.2/5.3ms
Hardware curve on Innofader - I have this set to STEP so there’s no real curve, it’s pretty much on/off.
Traktor Mixer Crossfader settings. It’s currently 95% over the right/sharp/quick side.
Idiot Operator: There could be 1001 things wrong with my technique.
I will continue to assume it’s #4 until I learn something to contrary but thought I would see if any of you have run into this or something similar.
When I had trouble with crabs, I had to apply lather of lotion liberally on my hands and slowly massage the affected area… to loosen up the muscles. I needed to warm my thumb up to being loose enough to perform crabs LOL .
I started with 1 click flares to get the timing, then twiddling 2 clicks, from there twiddling 3 clicks take about 30mins to master. After this young padawan you will have the loosness in your thumb to perform crabs, shortly after though you will realise they sound crap, and 1, 2 and 3 sound better and are more even between cuts.
It shouldn’t be the latency as I can do it perfectly in vdj and a reloop jockey 2 as the mixer. the crossfader however I have set up so it only has 1% travel before fading. maybe you should look into that
Thanks! Twiddling I have no issue with so I guess I am probably answering my own question. I am also working on my flares which are going to be far the greatest hill to climb if I want to get the level of control I am looking for. It’s like rubbing your stomach and patting your head while being pushed out of a helicopter.
Would be AWESOME if you could post a really short showing how you go through these scratched. I know there are 1000’s of vids on line but it would be great to see something specific to this thread! If you post, I will post a response showing how close (or far) I can get to them.
i’ll see what I can do, but i smashed my camera on new years, Have to see what my phones video looks like..
but another way of doing flares is move the record and just think of cutting the sound off in the middle, so forward, cut, forward, backward, cut, backward, repeat
It’s not the way I thought about it learning (i did it dj angelos way) but if may be easier
the way I learnt is
forward & close, open & forward, backward & close, backward & open
that way it is four actions in your head, then once you can almost do it chuck on some 80bpm stuff like busta, and do it at that speed, then slowly increase the speed of the tracks you play
then when you have that down to do two clicks its just
You need to make sure you are closing the fader completely in between taps; from your description it sounds like that’s not happening. I learned the finger taps using double tap to start – pinky-pinky, ring-ring, bird-bird, index-index – this helps build the finger strength and muscle memory you need to get all the taps right.
I haven’t really used the S4 much but Traktor’s internal crossfader cut kinda sucks, so that might be the problem too, but I’m guessing since you have the innofader installed that you are short-circuiting the software’s limitations with the hardware the same way it is done on the VCI-100. You can see on the screen what’s happening with the crossfader so you should know if this is a problem.
All that said, I don’t really use full crabs much. Partly coz I suck at scratching I suppose. But twiddles and three-click crabs are far more useful in my opinion. And if you can flare with the three click crab you can get your 1-2-3-4.
Why not go with the 100% fast cut in traktor ?
When i use my vci-100 as a midi mixer (original crossfader still) with trakor scratch pro i can do a 4 click crab no problem.
If else, what DjProben said, when my crabs won’t do 4 clicks, it’s because i’m not completly closing the crossfader.
That’s the VCI talking, not Traktor The VCI fader has the hardware curve adjustment on the back of the unit; it sends signals to traktor so the xfader is just open or close. But if you use another midi crossfader and set the curve in traktor there is not a complete cut.
Or at least that’s what I recall when I tried it last, which was forever ago, so forgive me if I’m talking out my ass…
I use the crossfader (vci) with a complete slope, because i use it as a modifier in my mapping (with range 0 to 8 ), the cut comes from traktor software.
It really should be an on/off cut if at 100% cut in traktor. But even with a bit of slope in it, the problem Imo comes more from not closing it completely at each click, or failing that, maybe it’s the cut in lag that is giving you trouble.
I have a very simalar setup (TTX and S4) but without the Inofader mod and can not even come close to creating the stutter effect when using Crabs.
My opinion was the stock crossfader was not helping on the S4 but it seems you are having the same issue with the Inofader.
I would consider myself at the beginning of beginner so technique probabaly has a lot to do with it but I am interested to find out if good results can be achieved with good crabs on the S4. I just cant get the stutter effect that is so crucial to scratching.
Could it be Midi Controllers in general do not have the same reaction speed as a external battle mixer?
Then it probably is the technic, the answer is practice
You can also do crabs with the line faders, if you can do that with consistency then you should be ok with a crossfader.
It’s like doing fades, combine a forward baby with a fade and instead of doing the fading normally do it doing a crab, instead of a clear cut you get four fades, from either louder to 0 or from 0 to louder. Or turn your crossfader towards more of a slope, do crabs, and aim to push back your cross fader with varying lengths : crabs with varying volumes
Try reverse it crabbing its easier to spring off the side of the crossfader and it also gives you a kind of guideline on where the cut off is (being at the far side)
Then apply to normal crabbing remember practise practise practise
As I said, I have come to the conclusion that I just need to practice more. The stock S4 crossfader is ok until you start using the Innofader. The S4 stock fader now feels like I am dragging an angry Pitbull across broken glass compared to the hot buttered luxury of the Innofader. I have also been playing around with a sample of the new Mini Innofader that will be released at NAMM this month and DJTT and I are going to try a few tricks with it.
If you are going to keep your S4 around for a while and don’t mind Jeffing the warranty - do the Innofader (Innobender version) upgrade and you will convert your midi controller into an amazing scratch mixer. I have the amazing scratch mixer, now to upgrade to an amazing scratcher…
The VCI fader has the hardware curve adjustment on the back of the unit; it sends signals to traktor so the xfader is just open or close. But if you use another midi crossfader and set the curve in traktor there is not a complete cut.
